Shared Understanding
by TheAngelofFate
Summary: Separated from his crew, injured with an unconscious Padawan, Kanan comes a cross another Jedi that survived Order 66, like he did. Where Cal and Kanan met face to face, and both learned that they've never been alone. (No Slash, please R&R)


Well here I am, back at it again with being obsessed over Star wars.

So having played Fallen Order, (thanks to my mother's bf letting me borrow his copy even before he had gotten a chance to play it himself) I can proudly say that I have been obsessed with the game. I love literally everything about this game, even if the glitches and bugs were a little ridiculous sometimes, that didn't stop me from loving the game. I truly just couldn't get over the story for it, nor could I do so for the characters and how much I loved Cal and how much I loved the little references to Rebels, with the Inquisitors showing up, to Master Jaro Tapal being a Lasat, I just loved every bit of it.

And because this game made me think about Rebels that got me thinking about an idea, a 'what if' Cal and Kanan met kind of idea, and so this was born. And naturally, since it's been a while since I have written for Rebels I got a little carried away, and wrote too much to the point where this is going to have to be posted into chapters.

* * *

It was a freak accident that they had met at all. Kanan wasn't even sure the Force had any part to play in them meeting. But whatever did, made they had. And for what purpose Kanan couldn't say. They had been fighting Troopers before it happened, his crew, his family. Everything had been going smoothly... until it wasn't anymore, and they had to momentarily retreat. Kanan and Ezra had stayed in the front line protecting everyone else from blaster fire. When a huge explosion went off without anyone noticing, catching them all off guard. Sending Ezra flying over the edge of a cliff and Kanan, in his disoriented state, didn't even hesitate before jumping after him.

And he had saved Ezra, _thank_ _Force_. Had somehow managed to safely land them on the ground that had been 10 feet below them and escape with minimal injuries. _Well_ a bleeding head, a sore back, and an unconscious Padawan were hardly _minimal_ injuries but the fact that they were alive in the first place was enough for Kanan to call that a win.

As Kanan walked through the forest, trying to put a good distance from him and the Troopers who were likely patrolling the grounds, he noticed that his head was starting to _really_ hurt not only that but he also realized that he was having a hard time _walking_, and that was due to had a sprained or broken ankle along with everything else. The more he walked the more tired he felt, and eventually he _had_ to sit down and rest even for just a few minutes.

In the back of his mind, the part of him that was logical was practically screaming at him that stopping was a bad idea. But Kanan could hardly think straight enough to care. So, he sat, carefully laying Ezra on the ground, his hand gently pressed into the kid's dark hair, he smiled fondly, closing his eyes.

And it was no more than a few seconds later did he sense a blaster bolt coming his way, ripping him out of his slumber so fast he thought he might get whiplash. He blocked the blast, his lightsaber held at the ready, ready to fight for himself but most especially for Ezra. But _dammit_, it was so hard to see straight, and he was in _such_ pain, to the point where he felt his knees stagger a bit and Kanan felt his heart freeze because he knew it only took a _second_ of hesitation for it to all end in an instant.

But even with the _slight_ stagger, that slight misstep from him. Another blaster came and knocked his saber out of his hands and sent it flying a few feet away from him, standing there Kanan stood stock still and waited, waited for the end.

The end however, didn't happen, in fact, upon further inspection Kanan realized that the Troopers were... frozen? No, not _frozen_, they were moving in slow motion, it seemed.

And that took him aback, because that was an old move the Jedi used a long time ago, and it was an incredibly useful skill, a move that he had learned himself, but hardly ever used it because never liked the feeling of it. Luckily, his Master told him that he wasn't alone in that, that like children with certain foods, using the Force to slow down enemies was an acquired skill that some choose to not embrace fully.

He stood there stunned, watched as the Troopers moved, and blaster fire shoot out of their blasters in a slow pace. Then from out of nowhere he heard the sound of a lightsaber igniting and for a moment he thought it might be Ezra, but was quickly proven wrong when a figure to his left appeared out of nowhere and charged the Troopers, taking them out in a matter of moments.

The figure, who now Kanan noticed was a young man, no older than in his 20s, turned to him then. And in a second the Force _rang_ between them, it seemed to tell him that, _yes_, they were the same.

The younger man eyed him, his red hair blowing in the harsh winds as he stood straight, sheathing his lightsaber, the color was purple in hue, something Kanan hasn't seen in years, not since Master Windu. Then Kanan watched as those eyes laid upon his lightsaber on the ground, now the man was fixating him with a more knowing lookm "Are you—?"

Kanan blinked at the man, seeming just as shocked as he himself felt, "Are _you—_?"

The man's eyes focused on his lightsaber, and he smiled, letting out a small chuckle of disbelief. "_'Do or do not_'—"

"_'There is no try.'_" Kanan finished and he felt himself smiling as well, to know that after all these years not only has, he met another survivor of Order 66 but a former Padawan no less was incredible. Sheathing his own lightsaber, he spoke. "Who was your Master?"

"Master Jaro Tapal." He answered, with a small sadness in his green eyes, a sadness that Kanan understood completely, "And you?"

"Depa Billaba."

The man walked towards him and summoned Kanan's lightsaber to his hand, and then promptly staggered forward, as a pained expression washed a crossed his face,

"Are you alright?" Kanan asked immediately concerned and confused because a moment ago the man looked as though he was completely fine.

He nodded once, waving off Kanan's worry with a gesture, as he stood up and extended his hand, though his green eyes held a sadness there that looked to be directed to him. "Cal Kestis."

For a moment, Kanan debated with himself whether to give Cal his real name or use his alias, it took him three seconds for him to decide to do both, as he extended his hand to Cal and shook it while also taking his lightsaber in the process. "Before the end, I was once called Caleb Dume. But I go by Kanan now."

Cal nodded, "Noted, how bad are you hurt?"

"I'm more worried Ezra," Kanan stated as he turned to look behind him, revealing his Padawan laying peacefully against the tree trunk. "I know he has a few bruised ribs and a possible broken wrist."

Cal looked at Ezra, then to Kanan, he moved forward. "BD?" He called out behind him and no sooner had Cal said this, did a Droid hop out from behind Cal's back. "This is BD-1. He has Stim Sticks, I know they only last so long, but they should work long enough until my crew can properly patch you up."

The Droid beeped out a cheery _Here!_ before popping out two green Stim sticks to him. Kanan gratefully accepted the sticks and wasted no time, in giving one to Ezra and then to himself. "You're crew?" Kanan repeated, "Are you part of a cell or a freelancer?"

"A little of both actually?" Cal answered, "Greez was a bit hesitant at first to be a part of something so dangerous but Cere was able to convince him that we could still do 'our own thing' while helping out the Rebellion."

That name, he's heard it before. "Cere? As in _Cere_ _Junda_?"

Cal blinked at him, surprised etched a crossed his face. "You know her?"

Kanan smiled sadly at the memory that flashed within his mind, "My Master use to tell me stories about her during the months I spent with her Padawan. I also caught them a couple times before talking while Master Billaba had me work on my forms."

"She found me, _saved_ me while I was being chased by the Empires Jedi Hunters."

"Inquisitors?" Kanan inquired, even though he already knew the answer, who else would be after a former Padawan from Order 66.

"Among other things," Cal answered, "She helped me see that I shouldn't hide from the Empire anymore, that I can still fight."

Those words resonated with Kanan, he let out a little laugh. "Yeah, I was like that for a long time too, not fighting, not wanting to be apart of anything larger than what my team was at the time, but Ezra, and Hera… my _crew_ showed me that somethings are worth fighting for, that others are worth risking the odds for."

TIE fighters flew overhead, and they ducked out of sight until they passed by. "We should go, my crew is about a couple miles away from here, we can patch out both up and look for your crew once it's safe."

Kanan nodded, gently he picked Ezra up in his arms and began walking. Silence fell between them, nothing but the sound of the wind blowing through the trees, "So is Cere your Master?"

Cal shook his head, "No— _well_ I mean, technically yes? She Knighted me, and she helped me but she's my friend. And no one could ever replace Master Tapal."

"I can understand that."

"How'd you come by him?" Cal asked gesturing to Ezra, who was still unconscious.

"It's a long story." Kanan let out a low fond chuckle, as Ezra pressed his face against the nap of Kanan's neck, "I didn't _want_ to train him at first, I didn't think I _could_, because I never finished my own training, and I didn't think I was any good to begin with because of what happened to my Master, but then I realized if I didn't then who would? There's not many of us left after all and I couldn't just leave the kid to fend for himself." As he revealed all this to Cal, in the back of his mind, the part of him that was cautious, knew that he shouldn't be this open with Cal, seeing as they had just met a few moments ago. But maybe it was the fact that they were both Jedi, maybe it was the fact that they had lived through the same ordeal that Order 66 had scared into them, but Kanan knew he could trust Cal and there was nothing to be cautious about. "Overtime I noticed that he became more then just my Padawan, but family. And it's something that sometimes catches me off guard with how much I care because this was something the Jedi warned us about."

"Masters getting attached to their Padawans." Cal concurred as he climbed over a large branch, extending his hand for Kanan to take. "I remember my Master telling me that, and I also remember him telling me that he did not care if he got attached to me or not."

Kanan nodded, remembering that Billaba said a similar quote to him as well. "I'm not saying I regret it, meeting this kid, regardless if he's a pain sometimes, it's just when I think about losing him, I can't bare it."

"Sounds to me like you view him in more a parental light then one of a Master." A new voice sounded out. Both Cal and Kanan looked ahead and saw a dark tanned woman sporting what looked like an old Inquisitor saber on her hip and from his memories he realized that was Cere. Cere must have seen his reaction to her weapon and held up her hand, "I'm not an Inquisitor, believe me. I got this off… an _old_ Inquisitor. The Second Sister." Cere stated as she moved closer to them, Kanan noticed the pained tone in her voice when mentioned the Second Sister.

"Cere," Cal commented as he moved closer to her with a smile. "What are you doing here?"

"Greez and Merrin were worried about you when you weren't answering our calls. So, I told them I'd go look for you. Who's this?" She asked gesturing towards Kanan, with a knowing look. "From what I heard of your conversation, he's one of us? Always a pleasure to meet one of our own. Cal especially seeing as he has always though he and I were the last to survive the Purge."

Kanan gently adjusted Ezra more securely on his back, "You knew my Master before the Purge; Depa Billaba."

Cere gave him the biggest smile, as the emotions in her eyes became nostalgic. "Ah, Caleb Dume, I remember you. The Padawan with all the questions, as Depa and Obi Wan always described." Then she moved towards him, she looked to Ezra for a moment before placing her hand on his shoulder. "When the Purge first started, I had been captured by the Empire, and tortured so I didn't feel the loss of everyone then, but once I— once _everything_ calmed down, I did feel her loss— And it hurt among everything else, I can imagine that you've gone through a similar experience as Cal has, and I'm sorry. I know that this probably doesn't help, but you meant the world to Depa, Caleb. And I know that if she were here now, she'd be proud of the person you've become and the boy you're raising."

Despite his age, Kanan found his throat closing and his eyes burning. "That helps a great deal, thank you, Master."

Cere scoffed, "Please, I haven't been a Master in a long, _long_ time. Just call me Cere."

Kanan nodded once, and held out his hand to her, "Kanan Jarrus."

Cere smiled and shook his hand. "Let's get you both patched up,"

* * *

Apologies for the abrupt cut off but like I said this is gonna have to be split into chapters, since ya girl here couldn't find a place to stop and she ended up writing about 5,000 words even though this story probably isn't very good but I finished it and I'm gonna post it anyway.

Anywoo, a penny for you're thoughts? I hope you all enjoy this random story, feedback with reviews are always welcomed and appreciated and I will see you all later.


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